1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to the support of gutters that collect runoff from the roof of a structure and more particularly to a bracket for supporting a protective hood over a gutter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gutters are essentially an elongated open trough attached at the edge of a roof to collect and divert runoff from the roof. A problem with open gutters is that they tend to collect leaves and other debris that blocks the flow of runoff and may lead to water damage to the structure. Frequent cleaning of the gutter to remove debris is required unless the gutter is covered to prevent such debris accumulation. It is known in the art to apply a hood or shield over the gutter to prevent debris accumulation. Some hoods are in the form of a screen or grate that allows water to pass through while preventing debris from entering the gutter trough.
A preferred alternative gutter hood comprises a curved sheet of metal or plastic arranged over the gutter trough. Water follows the curvature of the hood into the trough while leaves and debris cannot. Many alternative configurations for such a hooded gutter have been proposed. Some hooded gutters, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,649 and 5,845,435 (hereinafter the ""649 and ""435 patents, respectively), utilize a one-piece longitudinal extrusion that forms both the hood and trough portions of the gutter. The ""435 patent further discloses support brackets with an outer end configured to engage both the trough and the outward projecting portion of the hood. A major drawback to the approach proposed in the ""435 and ""649 patents is that they are not compatible with most existing extruded gutters. These systems require the replacement of all existing gutters with their alternative proprietary gutter format, which may or may not be compatible with the existing fascia and/or drip edge configuration of the structure.
In a structure where the roof, fascia and existing gutters are in good repair, the homeowner may wish to install a gutter hood. Preferably the hood can be installed without disturbing the integrity of the roof, replacing the gutter or reconfiguring the fascia. Many of the prior art hooded gutter systems cannot be used for such an application. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,377 illustrates a gutter hood compatible with a conventional gutter but requiring that a leaf screen be inserted beneath the shingles, thus disturbing the integrity of an installed roof and providing a path for ice and/or moisture to accumulate under the shingles.
The extruded xe2x80x9cK-ty pexe2x80x9d gutter is the industry standard and are installed on the vast majority of structures, particularly residential structures. Most prior art hooded gutter systems are incompatible with standard K-type extruded gutters, cannot be retrofitted to existing K-type extruded gutters and may require the purchase of expensive proprietary equipment and mounting hardware. Further, the form and configuration of the gutter hood is frequently dictated by the configuration of the proprietary hardware, necessitating the purchase not only of the hardware but also of equipment to manufacture a hood in a compatible configuration.
There is a need in the art for a hooded gutter system compatible with existing conventional K-type gutters. There is also a need in the art for a hooded gutter system that does not require the purchase of proprietary gutter and/or hood fabricating equipment. There is a further need for a bracket, K-type gutter and hood assembly that may be installed without disturbing the integrity of and existing roof system.
Briefly stated, the invention comprises a hood support bracket configured to mate with a gutter support bracket to provide a mounting location for a hood above a conventional K-type gutter. The bracket is configured such that the hood may be inexpensively manufactured in a variety of formats using readily available materials and standard non-proprietary tools. The hood support bracket and gutter support bracket can be used to retrofit a hood to existing K-type gutters. Further, the hood support bracket and its mating gutter support bracket permit fabrication of a hooded gutter assembly on the ground. Once assembled, the hooded gutter assembly requires only a single trip to the roofline for installation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved gutter hood support bracket and mating gutter support bracket that are compatible with conventional K-type gutters.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hooded gutter system that can be assembled on the ground and installed to a building in a single step.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hooded gutter system that does not require reconfiguring the fascia or disturbing the integrity of an existing roof.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved gutter hood support bracket that permits the hood to be inexpensively manufactured in a variety of formats using readily available materials and standard non-proprietary tools.